Why Merge?

Introduction

John Colunga - Lead Pastor of New Day Pasadena

New Day Pasadena used to be Golden Acres Baptist Church

Before the merge I was on staff as the Children’s and Student Minister

I was the Interim Staff Leader - Leading the church through the merger

Statistics of NDP

Since becomming New Day Church and since becomming Lead Pastor -

We have had 2 come to profess faith in Jesus Christ

We have had 4 baptisms (These 2 may not seem glamorous but we are here and we praise God for them)

We have started 4 new outreach ministries

We have 3 strategic teams (Kids/Greet/Production/Worship)

We have 2 community groups

Added an Associate Pastor (Dillon Trimm)

Have had significant renovations to the sanctuary, classrooms, and kids classrooms

Weve had 32 New Givers

Weve doubled our pre-New Day Attendance

And have added 16 new members

Goal is to open a Pre-School, Make Associate Pastor Full - Time

Passionate

I am passionate about church mergers - But I am passionate about church mergers done right

I am passionate about church mergers - Church mergers force us to be honest about where our heart is

I am passionate about church mergers - They are hard but they are beautiful

Goal of Today

Encourage you regarding church mergers in general

Convey the Highlights of the New Day Pasadena Merger Story

And then I will stay as long as needed to answer questions even if I miss the Masters

This will be a 3 point discussion

1. A Merge Starts Something New – new work, new presence, new gathering, new community.

2. A Merge Brings Excitement - not fear, not resentment, not pride

3. A Merge Strengthens the Church - spiritual growth, trust, community

Why merge?

While the word merger is not in the Bible, scripture is all about Jesus

Jesus’ work of redemption for Gods people

to be first united with Jesus

and then reconciled to the father

Through Christ, we are all brothers and sisters and should be unified for the sake of the gospel

Golden Acres:

Senior Pastor had just left

2 waves of members leaving (right after the pastor left, after a congregational vote)

We were projecting to not hit budget by at least $50K

We had a congregation primarily of older members (I brought the avg. age down)

4 kids in the Kids Ministry

An old building with aging parts (one summer away from disaster)

Our church had to make a change

- Knew that a new pastor wouldn’t be able to solve all of our problems.

- Knew that we needed new life and a new direction to stay in the community.

- Knew that a stronger & healthier church can make a greater immediate impact.

- Knew that we could become a stronger and healthier church.

As we looked at moving forward, all options were on the table

And we looked deeper into merging

And that is when we realized that -

A Merge Starts Something New (1st point)

Is 43:19.

Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?

Restoration of Israel – Points to Jesus

The Exodus - Points to Jesus

The Church - Points to Jesus

In Isaiah - God’s action in the past has become the basis for understanding a future event.

The Event was Jesus and the New Covenant

We know and we believe Jesus has come, died, rose again, we have scripture, and we recognize that because of what Jesus has done in the past – we have hope for the future

So we should always have eternal glory – in view

But while we are alive and living now, we have a work to do, and while nothing is new under the sun, there can be a new work for you to do – a new mission – a new vision – a new presence - a new community - a new health - a new spirit - a new love (the list goes on)

Golf is nothing new, it has been played for a very long time

And when it was introduced to me for the first time, it was new to me and I started to love the game

And the days where I am playing horrible and I want to quit

I have to remember my love for the game and know that a new round is coming, a new hole is coming,

that triple bogey I just made (bad) does not have to be my next hole

On my next hole I can get a (birdi) - good

Because its a new hole!

And sometimes in life, when times get hard, when our church gets small, when things do not go my way

We have to remember the gospel, remember the new work Jesus did in your life, and look forward in anticipation of what new Jesus has for you and your church

And while there is something new for you we must also remember that the new is not for you

The new is for the glory of God!

The new is to advance your relationship with him because he wants to be in deep relationship with you

The new is to advance his Kingdom in your community and as you go about in life

And how much more can you glorify God with more people in your church?

How much more can you grow your relationship with him by having more brothers and sisters in Christ around you?

And how much more can you advance the gospel in your community with more people sharing the same gospel?

So, we have to come to an agreement that we are better together!

Better Together

We are made to be in community

We are made to do life with one another

Starts in Genesis in the garden with Adam and Eve and it extends to the church in Acts as they gathered in homes

Earlier I mentioned Jesus as the New Covenant –

And in this new covenant the covenant was more Inclusive than the old

Jews and Gentiles could come to faith in Jesus Christ

People of all nations can be included in the Kingdom of God

So why is it, that when it comes to do something new (like a merge)

A merge, something new, that is focused on the gospel, which grows a church, which grows a community,

And this should be exciting

A Merge Brings Excitement (2nd Point)

Great Comission - go and make disciples

There was excitement that Jesus was alive

There was excitememnt that the people have hope in Jesus

There was excitemement that was to convict the people to share Jesus with others

And there is a promise in the Great Comission where Jesus promises to be with us

Now, if you are sitting here and you are thinking to yourself, this merge has been anything but exciting

I am here to comfort you and tell you that you are not alone

Most mergers get boggled down in the ins and out, concerns, due dilligence

And I will touch on these in just a second - but I am here to encourage you to not let these things overshadow point number one

A Merge Starts Something New - and that should be exciting

I’m not sure if anyone has every planned an extensive family vacation - the planning is not fun but you anticipate the actual vacation which will be!

If youve ever started a business, the start of it isnt always fun, but going through the process and anticipating the future of the business is always exciting!

And in both of these situations - you positively work through how can you get this accomplished

Have this mindset - be positive as you work towards having the merger

Have this mindset - How can we get this accomplished?

If you do not have this mindset - then when you start having the detailed discussions, your going to have a negative mindset which leads to negative discussions, which leads to negative meetings, which leads to two churches being negative

And when you disagree on something - rather than having grace, love, compassion, and a how can we get this done mindset

You will end up with a prideful, stubborn, unloving, and a how can I stop this or get my way mindset

And so, I want to encourage each of you to check yourself - check your spirit - and be honest with yourself

Because, if this time has not been exciting, it you have not had the right mindset, well then it starts with you

This was true of Golden Acres

Big 4 issues

-Golden Acres:

Did not want to give up control (Pastor/Elder Led - no longer voting on toilets)

Did not want to give up assets (Finances, buildings, lands, vehicles, etc. would now be in ND name)

Did not want to give up ministries (Even though ministries were not effective its how they have always done it)

Fears: location, not adding members, merge and then sell, etc.

Important to note theologically and doctrinally in alignment (BFM 2000, SBC) Primary, Secondary, Tertiary issues

(Confirm that they are in alignment)

Vision

The position Golden Acres was in, wasnt dire, but it wasnt a good one

A vision had to be cast of what can be

New Day:

Pastor John Wethington replanted White Oak Baptist Church which dwindled down in the 40s

Started a new initiative to replant - Became New Day Church

Focused on outreach, new ministries, and loving people

Started a Pre-School and the pre-school is a great ministry and church growth mechanism

Profession of faiths and baptisms started to happen more often

Families wanted to get involved

And they grew to about 250 attendance, about 180 members

Thriving and robust kids ministry which has translated into a youth ministry

They sold some land and did a major renovation

They have strong serve teams and still outreach

Now, its hard not to hear that and not get excited

And that helped to cast a vision of what could be

And when Golden Acres got honest with itself - their control led them to the predicament that they were in

Their assets were deteriorating and were not able to manage all of it (Budget deficite)

Their ministries were not effective, vibrant, consistent and was stunting growth

And when the church examined itself - went to God in prayer

The church became excited about the new

About the possibilities of what God can do

And they lovingly, graciously, positively, worked through the ins and outs, the details,

And the vote passed at 93% of the congregation saying yes

A Merge Strengthens the Church

I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. 7 But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 8 Therefore it says, “When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.” 9 (In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? 10 He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) 11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Eph 4:1–16.

Do Not: Some things we saw at Golden Acres

Have a watch and see mentalitiy (Vote yes but not be involved) - New work

Fight every little change (autonomous - Mcdonalds)

Look for opportunities to say I told you so

Do:

Get to know the people you do not know

Serve in a ministry, team, etc.

Continue to trust and rely on the Lord

We have seen more unity and more spiritual growth in our church since the merger

Thats not all us

ENCOURAGEMENT

Young

You see the failings of the world/generation/lies - Your zealous

But remember that you are zealous for the gospel

And at church you are around believers (you dont have to change everything in a church)

Especially if its a secondary or tertiary issue or a preference

Bare with the older generation

Experienced

I call you experienced because you have experience

You know thing or two because youve seen a thing or two

And you have experienced every change in the world

government, economics, family, friends, body, life, everything has changed for you

And so when you come to church, you want church the place where you worship God NOT to change

And so you hold tight to what you know and you resist change

Also, you resist because you fear the younger generation is going to mess up the church

Now, I pray that you live many more years, but if we are being honest, the hope is that the younger ones live past the next 10-15 years

And so together yall are building a church here in this community that will exist beyond your life, a curch that is for their kids, and their families,

We want this church to make an impact in this community for the Kingdom of God for generations

That wont happen without change. So dont fear it, dont be staunchly against it, ask questions but start letting the younger generations lead

Love and trust your Pastors

Trust these Men

They are called by God and you affirmed for them to preach, teach and shepherd

You have to trust these men

Now, with that, they are men

They will make mistakes

They will have to own up and apologize when they make a mistake

They will do things that you wont like

They will cut ministries, programs, traditions,

They will introduce new ministires, programs, traditions

They may disagree with you on secondary and tertiary

All the while, these men are striving to be faithful to scripture, to the gospel of Jesus Christ, and are trying to lead in such a way that glorifies him

They need your trust

They need your support

They need your prayers